Any Info On The New Microsoft WiFi?

InTheWayBoy · 09-30-2002

Saw a bunch of ads yesterday for their new networking equipment...can get a PCMCIA card for like $55! No mail-in rebates either! But any idea on what chipset it uses? I would assume it's Prism-based, but you never know with MS! I tried to find drivers on their website to pick at, but they aren't listed yet. Anyone? I may pick one up later myself, but I'm not sure...laters!

Sh00t3r · 09-30-2002

Yeah they're basically linksys products with a M$ wrapper.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/5/27222.html

JayLeo · 10-03-2002

Does NetStumbler work with the M$ Wireless card?

pyrophite · 10-04-2002

Quote:

and as 128-bit WEP is turned on by default, you could say Microsoft is doing its good citizen bit by ensuring the bulk of customers end up with a fairly decent level of security

very intresting , wondering if this will catch on

Thorn · 10-04-2002

Quote:

Originally posted by pyrophite
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
and as 128-bit WEP is turned on by default, you could say Microsoft is doing its good citizen bit by ensuring the bulk of customers end up with a fairly decent level of security
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

very intresting , wondering if this will catch on

Very stupid.

"Default security" is counter-productive. It's not secure if everyone who buys a card has the same key.

Now whoever buys one of these things will think he his secure, while every attacker who wants to do an end-run around the security will just have to pay $55 for an MS wireless card. (Or if they're smarter than the average script-kiddie, they'll query the Linksys KB for the default keys.)

Personally, I think MS just opened themselves out to another class action suit. In about 3 or 4 years, every idiot who thought they were secure will get together and say "But Microsoft said it was safe! Wah, wah!"

Sh00t3r · 10-04-2002

Thorn,

The app that M$ is using randomly generates different keys for each AP/application. Although I'm not trying to defend microsoft here. Just providing an explanation. If it's MS you know it'll be cracked/hacked/or doesnt work.

Thorn · 10-04-2002

sh00t3r,

OK, that sounds reasonable, but if that's true, and if I by an AP and a card, how do they talk to each other? Have they come up with a program that negotiates the keys between an AP and card?

As fas as MS goes, I don't like or dislike them. They have their good and bad points. It just seems to me that the concept of "default security" for individuals is something akin to "false promises."

davepc · 10-04-2002

fcc id's -

--------------------------
mn-500 (base station)
HEDACC300568
fcc web page info...
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...d=HEDACC300568
---------------------------
mn-510 (usb adaptor)
HEDACCWN330168
---------------------------
mn-520 (notebook adaptor)
HEDACC3501D68
fcc web page info...
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...=HEDACC3501D68
--------------------------

-dave

renderman · 10-04-2002

Just read through the manual on the FCC filing page (there's some funny editing comments in there since it's a pre-release manual) and It seems like every other router out there. They have just added a fancy wizard to set it up and copy the setting to floppy.

Looks like it will work with other cards but you'd probobly have to enter the WEP key by hand (how many users want to do that). The other question is that since this is linksys gear rebranded, I'm curious how well it playes at higher key sizes. Read the linksys manuals some time. Thier new WEP version does'nt play nice with non-linksys gear at higher keysizes.

$10 says that most people will either leave the default key in place, or change the key, lose the floppy disk, and disable WEP out of frustration later when they try and add a new pc to the mix.

I don't ever see this in the enterprise. Trying to track down an admin with the WEP key on the floppy will be the death of them.

Just my opinions.

Render

Thorn · 10-04-2002

renderman,
I just finished reading it myself and have pretty much come to the same conclusions.

I still fail to see how "default WEP" will gain anything in the long term.

renderman · 10-04-2002

A smarter method would be some variety of software key exchange and VPN support, but that's probobly down the road.

This is probobly just an intermediate step, they probobly want to break into the market now using the linksys gear to bide time for thier own gear.

Any found out the MAC range these are in for identification in case we come across one?

09-30-2002	#1 (permalink)
InTheWayBoy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Jax, FL USA Posts: 23	Any Info On The New Microsoft WiFi? Saw a bunch of ads yesterday for their new networking equipment...can get a PCMCIA card for like $55! No mail-in rebates either! But any idea on what chipset it uses? I would assume it's Prism-based, but you never know with MS! I tried to find drivers on their website to pick at, but they aren't listed yet. Anyone? I may pick one up later myself, but I'm not sure...laters!

10-03-2002	#3 (permalink)
JayLeo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Hamburg Posts: 2	MS WLAN card vs NetStumbler Does NetStumbler work with the M$ Wireless card?

10-04-2002	#7 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,358	sh00t3r, OK, that sounds reasonable, but if that's true, and if I by an AP and a card, how do they talk to each other? Have they come up with a program that negotiates the keys between an AP and card? As fas as MS goes, I don't like or dislike them. They have their good and bad points. It just seems to me that the concept of "default security" for individuals is something akin to "false promises." __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

10-04-2002	#10 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,358	renderman, I just finished reading it myself and have pretty much come to the same conclusions. I still fail to see how "default WEP" will gain anything in the long term. __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

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09-30-2002	#2 (permalink)
Sh00t3r Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 199	Yeah they're basically linksys products with a M$ wrapper. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/5/27222.html

10-04-2002	#6 (permalink)
Sh00t3r Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 199	Thorn, The app that M$ is using randomly generates different keys for each AP/application. Although I'm not trying to defend microsoft here. Just providing an explanation. If it's MS you know it'll be cracked/hacked/or doesnt work.

10-04-2002	#8 (permalink)
davepc "the LanBurgler?" Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeastern MA / RI area Posts: 98	fcc id's - -------------------------- mn-500 (base station) HEDACC300568 fcc web page info... https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...d=HEDACC300568 --------------------------- mn-510 (usb adaptor) HEDACCWN330168 --------------------------- mn-520 (notebook adaptor) HEDACC3501D68 fcc web page info... https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws...=HEDACC3501D68 -------------------------- -dave

10-04-2002	#9 (permalink)
renderman Drunken Stumbler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Anywhere but Utah Posts: 1,862	Just read through the manual on the FCC filing page (there's some funny editing comments in there since it's a pre-release manual) and It seems like every other router out there. They have just added a fancy wizard to set it up and copy the setting to floppy. Looks like it will work with other cards but you'd probobly have to enter the WEP key by hand (how many users want to do that). The other question is that since this is linksys gear rebranded, I'm curious how well it playes at higher key sizes. Read the linksys manuals some time. Thier new WEP version does'nt play nice with non-linksys gear at higher keysizes. $10 says that most people will either leave the default key in place, or change the key, lose the floppy disk, and disable WEP out of frustration later when they try and add a new pc to the mix. I don't ever see this in the enterprise. Trying to track down an admin with the WEP key on the floppy will be the death of them. Just my opinions. Render

10-04-2002	#11 (permalink)
renderman Drunken Stumbler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Anywhere but Utah Posts: 1,862	A smarter method would be some variety of software key exchange and VPN support, but that's probobly down the road. This is probobly just an intermediate step, they probobly want to break into the market now using the linksys gear to bide time for thier own gear. Any found out the MAC range these are in for identification in case we come across one?